Dinamica de mediano plazo del bosque nuboso de Volcan Mombacho, Nicaragua

Abstract

The structure and dynamics of the cloud foreston Mombacho Volcano were evaluated 11 years after the establishment of six permanent plots (PPMs). The data collected during this period showed the following trends: stem density per hectare had been decreasing, basal area increasing, recruitment staying constant, and mortality diminishing on the most of the PPMs. Although the mortality rate on all of the PPMs was greater than the recruitment rate, both tended to equalize over time. During the 11 years evaluated in this study, the importance of a small group of species that constitute the major part of the cloud forest structure is notable. These species make up the majority of the stems or basal area of the forest. During the study period it was notable that recruitment and mortality affected principally understory shrubs and pioneer species. All of these changes may be interpreted as evidence that the cloud forest has been in a process of recovery after the passage of Hurricane Joan over Nicaragua in 1988.

Citation

Diaz Santos, Fabricio; Weaver, Peter L.; Diaz Santos, Fabio Gabriel. 2010. Dinamica de mediano plazo del bosque nuboso de Volcan Mombacho, Nicaragua. Revista Biodiversidad y Areas Protegidas. Num. 2: 37-50.